My head was spinning with information—and misinformation—about Covid-19 vaccinations coming by way of emails, media reports and conversations with friends and family. Sign up? Don’t sign up yet? Why can’t I sign up? Why was my sign-up canceled? Every time I checked my phone, there seemed to be another round of confusing and sometimes conflicting …more

Is love like a plague? That’s what Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez suggests in Love in the Time of Cholera. In today’s frightening COVID-19 pandemic, the situation may be turned on its head. The plague gets in the way of our love. Because of the pandemic, we may not be able to visit a …more

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us,” wrote J.R.R. Tolkien in The Fellowship of the Ring. But, rarely do we know for sure how much time may be available. So, making end-of-life decisions for ourselves or our loved ones is seldom simple and sometimes excruciating. If …more

You saved carefully and invested wisely. You believe your plans are in place, and your nest egg is in order. You feel financially prepared for the years to come. But have you considered your medical expenses? All too often, retirement planning is focused on wealth management—a good thing in and of itself. But medical costs …more

On a recent trip to Upstate New York for a family wedding, my husband and I nearly came face to face with a flying wild turkey. We are more urban than rural and – save for stray deer from the nearby woods – our wildlife encounters are generally limited to small birds and cute bunnies. …more

When someone you love is in the hospital, don’t go to visit! That’s right. Families should not think of themselves as visitors in the hospital room. Families—or sometimes very close friends— bring a wealth of information, background and understanding. They know their loved ones better than anyone else in the hospital. That counts for a …more

Several years ago, while my husband was in the hospital, I was concerned about the course of his treatment and couldn’t seem to get a clear picture of the next steps and prognosis. Not sure where to turn, I called his primary care physician (PCP) for guidance. Officially, there was a hospitalist in charge of …more

“Savor this moment. Appreciate it. Life won’t always be so good.” The voice in my head echoed a reminder I knew I needed to savor. From past experiences I understood that life would not always be on track, and I understood on some level that I would need to remember the good life again, sometime …more